Dean Delany says he has postponed his retirement plans to try and help Shelbourne secure promotion to the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
The veteran shot stopper left Bohemian FC at the end of last season and wasn’t short on offers when it came to finding a new club.
Delany was approached by clubs in the Premier Division, but spurned their advances to return to Tolka Park for a third time.
The keeper won two titles during his first stint at the club and was part of the side that won promotion back to the top flight in 2011.
The 36-year-old admits he was close to hanging up his gloves before a call from his old team-mate and current Shels boss Owen Heary.
Delany was struck by the passion and ambition shown by Heary, the offer was too good to turn down.
A return to the club that he will always call home was on the cards, and it’s something that hugely excited Delany:
“I was possibly thinking of retiring then I came around to the idea of staying on, I had a couple of offers to be number two in the premier but I wanted to play if I was going to stay on.
“Owen said ‘look I can guarantee I’d put you in the team’ and he wanted me to be captain, he was telling me about the young lads that he had.
“He was saying he wanted me to come-back and be an influence on them and try and push us on to have a good challenge this year and hopefully get up.
“It just appealed to me, I’ve an awful lot of affection for the club because of the good memories I’ve had through the years especially the European run, it’s always there in the back of my mind what the club gave to me.
“If I can give anything back like what they gave to me I’d be proud of that if we can get up this year or possibly even next year that’s a really good achievement.”
Delany is a fan favourite at Tolka Park, he marked his comeback with an heroic performance in the 0-0 draw with Longford Town last week.
He saved a penalty as Shels secured a share of the spoils on the opening night, next up is a clash against UCD at the Belfield Bowl.
